Advanced Bollinger Strategy
The advanced Bollinger strategy is designed to use the Bollinger bands to trade ranging currencies. There are currencies that typically have a wide intraday range and to traders can use this strategy to catch reversal points along the way.
Top UK Forex Brokers With Bollinger Bands
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Pepperstone provides forex spreads on the EUR/USD averaging just 0.12 pips with their Razor account. This is highly competitive. Their extensive portfolio includes over 100 currency pairs, which exceeds what most rivals offer. Furthermore, Pepperstone stands out by offering three unique currency indices: USDX, EURX, and JPYX, which are rare on other platforms. They have been recognised with our 'Best Forex Broker' award twice.
When we evaluated Pepperstone's MT4, execution was extremely swift with spreads starting at 0.1 pips, plus a $7 per lot commission on Razor accounts. The Smart Trader Tools plugin provided real benefits, including sentiment, mini-terminal, and trade management tools. EA automation operated seamlessly, and the mobile version replicated desktop performance in live trades.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.4 0.1 0.4 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 100+ Yes MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, DupliTrade, Quantower -
FXCC champions its competitive forex trading environment. ECN spreads can drop to an impressive 0.0 pips during busy trading periods. Offering more variety than many competitors, it supports over 70 currency pairs. Furthermore, traders benefit from MT4, renowned for its exceptional charting capabilities, specifically designed for forex trading.
In our tests, FXCC's MT4 offered raw spreads from 0.1 pips on the ECN XL account with zero commission—perfect for traders. Execution was precise, and EA automation ran smoothly. Though the indicator set is basic, FXCC enhances value by integrating economic calendars and news feeds directly into the platform.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 1.0 0.2 0.5 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 70+ No MT4, MT5 -
Vantage provides over 55 currency pairs, exceeding the industry norm, giving traders ample opportunities. With a robust liquidity pool, forex spreads start at 0.0 pips on the ECN account, often beating other options. Additionally, there are no commissions, deposit fees, or hidden charges.
In our tests, Vantage's MT4 showed excellent performance, offering spreads as low as 0.0 pips on Raw/ECN and about 1.1 pips on Standard STP, with ECN commissions starting at around $3 per lot side and none for STP. Micro-lot trading and comprehensive EA automation were effective, complemented by robust mobile MT4 functionality.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.5 0.0 0.5 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 55+ Yes ProTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView, DupliTrade -
IC Markets remains dedicated to offering tight 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs like EUR/USD, ensuring outstanding execution with an average speed of 35 milliseconds. Ideal for traders seeking high performance, those dealing in large volumes can also enjoy rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot.
When we assessed IC Markets’ MT4, execution speeds were among the swiftest, perfect for high-frequency tactics. Spreads on EUR/USD averaged 0.1 pips with a $7 commission per lot. With EA automation, VPS integration, and advanced tools such as Depth of Market, the platform excelled for dedicated algorithmic traders.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.23 0.02 0.27 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 75 No MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower -
FOREX.com remains a leading FX broker, providing 80 currency pairs with highly competitive fees. EUR/USD spreads can reach as low as 0.0, with a $7 commission per $100k, making it a standout choice.
In our tests, FOREX.com's MT4 excelled with quick execution and a comprehensive set of custom indicators. The platform supports micro lots, EAs automation, and mobile trading. Integrated Trading Central and real-time news add-ons ensured seamless strategy testing and analysis.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 1.3 1.2 1.4 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 84 Yes WebTrader, Mobile, MT4, MT5, TradingView -
Eightcap provides over 50 currency pairs, matching the industry norm but falling short of leaders like CMC Markets, which offers more than 300. Nonetheless, Eightcap distinguishes itself with institutional-quality spreads starting from 0.0 pips on major pairs such as EUR/USD. The broker's competitively low commissions at $3.50 per side further enhance its appeal. Eightcap also equips traders with comprehensive forex data, including essential fundamentals, bullish and bearish signals, and a calendar monitoring significant foreign exchange market events.
During testing, Eightcap’s MT4 offered swift execution and spreads starting at 0.0 pips on the Raw account. The commission was $3.50 per side for each standard lot, with an all-in cost of roughly 0.76 pips. The platform supports micro lots and provides smooth EA automation. The mobile MT4 was fast, and Capitalise.ai integration allowed for algorithmic trading without coding.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.1 0.0 0.1 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 50+ Yes MT4, MT5, TradingView -
IG provides an extensive selection of over 80 currency pairs through its own web platform, mobile app, or MetaTrader 4. For advanced charting and forex analysis, the ProRealTime software is available. Testing shows forex spreads are competitive, beginning at 0.1 pips on major pairs such as EUR/USD.
When we tested IG’s MT4, execution was stable but a bit slower than their proprietary platform. Spreads averaged 0.6 pips on major pairs without commissions, supporting micro lots and dependable EA automation. Although MT4 did not include IG's exclusive tools, it provided robust mobile functionality and a wide asset range, including CFDs and forex.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.9 0.8 0.9 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 80+ Yes Web, L2 Dealer, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, ProRealTime
Pepperstone
FXCC
Vantage FX
IC Markets
Forex.com
Eightcap
IGSafety Comparison
Compare how safe the Advanced Bollinger Strategy are and what features they offer to protect traders.
| Broker | Trust Rating | FCA Regulated | Negative Balance Protection | Guaranteed Stop Loss | Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| FXCC | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| IC Markets | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Forex.com | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | |
| Eightcap | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| IG | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Payments Comparison
Compare which popular payment methods the Advanced Bollinger Strategy support and whether they have trading accounts denominated in British Pounds (GBP).
| Broker | GBP Account | Debit Card | Credit Card | Neteller | Skrill | Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| FXCC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IC Markets | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Forex.com | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Eightcap | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IG | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Mobile Trading Comparison
How good are the Advanced Bollinger Strategy at mobile trading using apps or other mobile interfaces.
| Broker | Mobile Apps | iOS Rating | Android Rating | Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| FXCC | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Vantage FX | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| IC Markets | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Forex.com | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Eightcap | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| IG | iOS & Android | ✔ |
Beginners Comparison
Are the Advanced Bollinger Strategy good for beginner traders, that might want an affordable setup to get started, along with good support and educational resources?
| Broker | Demo Account | Minimum Deposit | Minimum Trade | Support Rating | Education Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| FXCC | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Vantage FX | ✔ | $50 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| IC Markets | ✔ | $200 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Forex.com | ✔ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Eightcap | ✔ | £100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| IG | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots |
Advanced Trading Comparison
Do the Advanced Bollinger Strategy offer features that allow for more advanced trading strategies?
| Broker | Automated Trading | Pro Account | Leverage | VPS | AI | Low Latency | Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| FXCC | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:500 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Vantage FX | Myfxbook AutoTrade, Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| IC Markets | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade | ✘ | 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Forex.com | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Eightcap | TradingView Bots | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IG | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Detailed Rating Comparison
Use this heatmap to compare our detailed ratings for all of the Advanced Bollinger Strategy.
| Broker | Trust | Platforms | Mobile | Assets | Fees | Accounts | Support | Research | Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | |||||||||
| FXCC | |||||||||
| Vantage FX | |||||||||
| IC Markets | |||||||||
| Forex.com | |||||||||
| Eightcap | |||||||||
| IG |
Our Take On Pepperstone
"Pepperstone is a premier trading platform, providing tight spreads, swift execution, and sophisticated charting tools for seasoned traders. Beginners benefit from no minimum deposit, comprehensive learning materials, and outstanding 24/7 support."
Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- Pepperstone presents itself as an economical choice for traders, offering spreads as low as 0.0 in its Razor account. The Active Trader programme provides rebates up to 30% on indices and commodities, plus $3 per lot on forex.
- Support for top-tier charting platforms such as MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader. These tools accommodate different short-term trading methods, including algorithmic trading.
- Pepperstone offers rapid execution speeds of approximately 30ms, enabling swift order processing and execution, making it ideal for traders.
Cons
- Although its market range has improved, its crypto offerings remain limited compared to brokers specialising in this sector, lacking real coin investment options.
- Pepperstone doesn't offer cTrader Copy, a favoured feature for copying trades found in the cTrader platform, which is available on other platforms such as IC Markets. However, Pepperstone has launched its own user-friendly copy trading app.
- Pepperstone's demo accounts expire after 30 days, which may not provide sufficient time to explore various platforms and evaluate trading strategies.
Our Take On FXCC
"FXCC remains a top choice for forex traders, offering over 70 currency pairs, very tight spreads from 0.0 pips in tests, and high leverage up to 1:500 with the ECN XL account."
Pros
- FXCC offers competitive and transparent ECN spreads starting from 0.0 pips, with no commissions. This makes it one of the most cost-effective forex brokers available.
- FXCC has introduced MT5, which in our evaluations, mirrored the trading conditions of MT4 by offering swift execution, improved charting, and market depth tools.
- The complimentary education section, featuring the 'Traders Corner' blog, provides a wide array of resources suitable for traders of all experience levels.
Cons
- The variety of currency pairs surpasses most options, but the choice of other assets is limited. Notably, stocks are absent.
- While the MetaTrader suite excels in technical analysis, its outdated design detracts from the overall trading experience, particularly when contrasted with contemporary platforms such as TradingView.
- Unaware traders might face steep withdrawal fees, such as a notable $45 for bank transfers.
Our Take On Vantage FX
"Vantage is an ideal choice for CFD traders looking for a well-regulated broker with access to the dependable MetaTrader platforms. With a swift sign-up process and a minimum deposit of $50, starting trading is simple and fast."
Pros
- Opening a live account is both straightforward and swift, requiring under 5 minutes to complete.
- Vantage addresses the needs of passive investors through user-friendly social trading on ZuluTrade and Myfxbook.
- With a minimal deposit requirement of just $50 and no funding fees, this broker stands out as an excellent option for novice traders.
Cons
- Regrettably, cryptocurrencies are accessible solely to clients in Australia.
- To access optimal trading conditions, a substantial deposit of $10,000 is required. This includes a commission of $1.50 per transaction per side.
- It's unfortunate that some clients must register with the offshore firm, which provides reduced regulatory safeguards.
Our Take On IC Markets
"IC Markets provides excellent pricing, swift execution, and easy deposits. With cutting-edge charting tools like TradingView and the Raw Trader Plus account, it continues to be a preferred option for intermediate and advanced traders."
Pros
- In 2025, IC Markets earned DayTrading.com's accolade for 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' due to its top-tier MetaTrader integration. This achievement highlights the broker's continuous refinement over the years to enhance the platform experience.
- IC Markets provides reliable 24/5 support, especially for account and funding queries, drawing from direct experience.
- As a well-regulated and reputable broker, IC Markets focuses on client safety and transparency to provide a dependable global trading experience.
Cons
- The tutorials, webinars, and educational resources require enhancement, lagging behind competitors such as CMC Markets, which diminishes their appeal to novice traders.
- Interest is not paid on idle cash, a feature gaining popularity with alternatives such as Interactive Brokers.
- IC Markets provides metals and cryptocurrencies for trading through CFDs, though the selection is narrower compared to brokers such as eToro. This limits opportunities for traders focused on these asset classes.
Our Take On Forex.com
"FOREX.com excels in serving traders of all levels, offering more than 80 currency pairs, spreads starting at 0.0 pips, and competitive commissions. Its robust charting platforms provide over 100 technical indicators and comprehensive research tools."
Pros
- With more than two decades of expertise, strong regulatory governance, and numerous accolades, including a second-place finish in our 'Best Forex Broker' awards, FOREX.com is globally renowned as a reliable trading platform.
- The in-house Web Trader remains a standout platform, excellently crafted for budding traders. It features a sleek design and offers more than 80 technical indicators for thorough market analysis.
- FOREX.com provides top-tier forex rates beginning at 0.0 pips, along with attractive cashback rebates up to 15% for dedicated traders.
Cons
- FOREX.com's MT4 platform provides around 600 instruments, a notable reduction compared to the more than 5,500 options on its other platforms.
- Funding choices are restricted when compared to top options such as IC Markets. Many popular e-wallets, including UnionPay and POLi, are noticeably absent.
- Demo accounts are typically limited to 90 days, hindering effective strategy testing.
Our Take On Eightcap
"Eightcap excels for traders, offering diverse charting platforms, educational Labs, and AI tools. With over 120 crypto CFDs, it stands out in crypto trading and has won our 'Best Crypto Broker' award twice consecutively."
Pros
- In 2021, Eightcap enhanced its lineup, now providing an extensive range of cryptocurrency CFDs. It offers crypto/fiat and crypto/crypto pairs, along with crypto indices for comprehensive market exposure.
- Eightcap has excelled in all essential trading areas, surpassing all rivals to clinch our 'Best Overall Broker' award for 2024. It also earned the titles of 'Best Crypto Broker' and 'Best TradingView Broker' for 2025.
- Eightcap excels with a suite of advanced trading tools, such as MT4 and MT5, and has recently joined the 100-million-user social trading network, TradingView.
Cons
- The demo account is available for 30 days, after which it requires a request for extension. This is less convenient than XM's offering, which provides an unlimited demo mode.
- Eightcap must enhance its range of over 800 instruments to rival top competitors like Blackbull Markets, which offers 26,000+ assets, especially improving its limited commodities selection.
- Despite the growing range of tools available, Eightcap lacks popular industry resources such as Autochartist and Trading Central. These provide advanced charting analytics, live news, and essential market insights for traders focused on short-term strategies.
Our Take On IG
"IG offers a complete package with an intuitive online platform, top-tier beginner education, advanced charting tools through its TradingView integration, real-time data, and swift execution for seasoned traders."
Pros
- The web-based platform supports traders at every level, offering advanced charting tools and real-time market data vital for trading. Additionally, IG now includes TradingView integration.
- IG stands out with its extensive range of instruments, offering stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it has recently introduced US-listed futures and options, along with an AI Index. These options enhance opportunities for diversification in trading.
- The IG app provides an excellent mobile trading experience with an intuitive design, earning it the Runner Up position in our 'Best Trading App' award.
Cons
- Beginners may find IG's fees complicated, as they vary depending on the trades or services. This could cause confusion and unexpected costs.
- Based on tests, stock and CFD spreads remain less competitive than the lowest-cost brokers, such as CMC Markets.
- IG has ended its swap-free account, diminishing its attractiveness to Islamic traders.
The success of this trading system is hinged around the appearance of the inside day candlestick formation, which will form the basis of entry confirmations. This is what it looks like:
inside day candle formation
An inside day candle is formed as follows:
The Day 1 candle (the first candle) has a higher high and a lower low than the Day 2 candle (the second candle). Sometimes, the lows of both candles may be at the same level while the high of Day 1 > Day 2 high. In other words, the Day 1 candle envelops the Day 2 candle, or the Day 2 candle is “inside” the Day 1 candle. The picture says it all.
This formation has to occur at either extremes of the Bollinger band indicator for a trade signal to be initiated.
Strategy Setup
This strategy is best used on the 1hr, 4hr and long term time charts such as the Daily chart. This trading strategy does well with 3 indicators, but the addition of the pivot point calculator helps to provide a confirmation on whether the price of the currency asset has topped or bottomed out.
Setup the three (or four) indicators as indicated below.
a) Bollinger band (at default settings of 20 Period, 2.0 Multiple and SMA).
b) Stochastics oscillator set to 5,3,3 (default settings).
c) 20-day simple moving average (20SMA). This SMA corresponds to the middle Bollinger, but it should be demarcated for clarity.
d) Autopivot calculator.
Long Entry
The trader should execute a long trade if the following criteria are met:
a) The Inside day candle forms and touches, or cuts the lower Bollinger band.
b) If the Stochastics oscillator crosses at <25, indicating an oversold market condition.
Once this happens, the EA should automatically go long at the open of the next candle. If this situation occurs at a support line as shown by the Autopivot calculator, the signal is reinforced. If the entry point is higher than the high of the 2nd candle in the inside day formation (Day 2 candle), the signal is more reliable.
Example 1
Chart showing long entry setup and strength of the signal when the third candle’s open is very close to, or higher than the 2nd candle’s high
Short Entry
The trader should execute a long trade if the following criteria are met:
a) The inside day candle forms and touches or cuts above the upper Bollinger band.
b) The Stochastics crosses at >75, indicating an overbought market condition.
Once this happens, the trader should open a short position at the open of the next candle. If the entry point is lower than the low of the 2nd candle in the inside day formation (Day 2 candle), the signal is more reliable. If this situation occurs at a support line as shown by the Autopivot calculator, the signal is reinforced.
Setting the Stop Loss and Profit Targets for this Strategy
The stop loss for the Advanced Bollinger band system should be placed 20 pips above (for short entry) or below (for long entry) the Day 1 candlestick in the inside day candle formation.
Since the strategy is used to catch a top or bottom of a trend and follow it until the condition changes, the trailing stop profit strategy is used. This is where the 20SMA comes in. Once the market breaks the 20SMA in the trade direction, the EA should open a 20 pip trailing stop to start trailing the price action. For a SHORT entry, the trailing stop should be set when the price action breaks below the 20SMA, and for a LONG entry, the trailing stop is set when the price action breaks above the 20SMA.
Another way of taking profits is to wait until the currency price starts to retrace and touches the 20SMA. So for a long trade, the trader could wait until the currency price starts to retrace downwards and touches the SMA before closing the trade manually. For a short trade, the trader could wait until the currency price takes a bounce off the bottom and close the trade manually when the price action hits the 20SMA.